diff --git a/group.go b/group.go
index cb48f60..50fd4d0 100644
--- a/group.go
+++ b/group.go
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ import (
 type chatHistoryEntry struct {
 	id    string
 	user  string
+	kind  string
 	value string
-	me    bool
 }
 
 const (
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ func (g *group) clearChatHistory() {
 	g.history = nil
 }
 
-func (g *group) addToChatHistory(id, user, value string, me bool) {
+func (g *group) addToChatHistory(id, user, kind, value string) {
 	g.mu.Lock()
 	defer g.mu.Unlock()
 
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ func (g *group) addToChatHistory(id, user, value string, me bool) {
 		g.history = g.history[:len(g.history)-1]
 	}
 	g.history = append(g.history,
-		chatHistoryEntry{id: id, user: user, value: value, me: me},
+		chatHistoryEntry{id: id, user: user, kind: kind, value: value},
 	)
 }
 
diff --git a/static/sfu.js b/static/sfu.js
index 3e00ac1..5cec8f0 100644
--- a/static/sfu.js
+++ b/static/sfu.js
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ function serverConnect() {
                 gotUser(m.id, m.username, m.del);
                 break;
             case 'chat':
-                addToChatbox(m.id, m.username, m.value, m.me);
+                addToChatbox(m.id, m.username, m.kind, m.value);
                 break;
             case 'clearchat':
                 resetChat();
@@ -694,8 +694,15 @@ function serverConnect() {
             case 'pong':
                 /* nothing */
                 break;
-            case 'error':
-                displayError('The server said: ' + m.value);
+            case 'usermessage':
+                switch(m.kind) {
+                case 'error':
+                    displayError('The server said: ' + m.value);
+                    break;
+                default:
+                    displayWarning('The server said: ' + m.value)
+                    break;
+                }
                 break;
             default:
                 console.warn('Unexpected server message', m.type);
@@ -962,10 +969,10 @@ function formatLines(lines) {
 
 let lastMessage = {};
 
-function addToChatbox(peerId, nick, message, me){
+function addToChatbox(peerId, nick, kind, message){
     let container = document.createElement('div');
     container.classList.add('message');
-    if(!me) {
+    if(kind !== 'me') {
         let p = formatLines(message.split('\n'));
         if (lastMessage.nick !== nick || lastMessage.peerId !== peerId) {
             let user = document.createElement('p');
@@ -1124,8 +1131,8 @@ function handleInput() {
             type: 'chat',
             id: myid,
             username: username,
+            kind: me ? 'me' : '',
             value: message,
-            me: me,
         });
     } catch(e) {
         console.error(e);
diff --git a/webclient.go b/webclient.go
index 355972c..81d5f8c 100644
--- a/webclient.go
+++ b/webclient.go
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ type clientMessage struct {
 	Permissions clientPermission           `json:"permissions,omitempty"`
 	Group       string                     `json:"group,omitempty"`
 	Value       string                     `json:"value,omitempty"`
-	Me          bool                       `json:"me,omitempty"`
+	Kind        string                     `json:"kind,omitempty"`
 	Offer       *webrtc.SessionDescription `json:"offer,omitempty"`
 	Answer      *webrtc.SessionDescription `json:"answer,omitempty"`
 	Candidate   *webrtc.ICECandidateInit   `json:"candidate,omitempty"`
@@ -634,7 +634,8 @@ func startClient(conn *websocket.Conn) (err error) {
 		// at this point, the writer is not running yet, so format
 		// the message ourselves
 		conn.WriteJSON(clientMessage{
-			Type:  "error",
+			Type:  "usermessage",
+			Kind:  "error",
 			Value: "don't put spaces in your username",
 		})
 		conn.WriteMessage(websocket.CloseMessage,
@@ -667,7 +668,8 @@ func startClient(conn *websocket.Conn) (err error) {
 			m, e := errorToWSCloseMessage(err)
 			if m != "" {
 				c.write(clientMessage{
-					Type:  "error",
+					Type:  "usermessage",
+					Kind:  "error",
 					Value: m,
 				})
 			}
@@ -727,7 +729,7 @@ func clientLoop(c *webClient, conn *websocket.Conn) error {
 			Id:       m.id,
 			Username: m.user,
 			Value:    m.value,
-			Me:       m.me,
+			Kind:     m.kind,
 		})
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -996,7 +998,7 @@ func handleClientMessage(c *webClient, m clientMessage) error {
 			log.Printf("ICE: %v", err)
 		}
 	case "chat":
-		c.group.addToChatHistory(m.Id, m.Username, m.Value, m.Me)
+		c.group.addToChatHistory(m.Id, m.Username, m.Kind, m.Value)
 		clients := c.group.getClients(nil)
 		for _, cc := range clients {
 			cc, ok := cc.(*webClient)
@@ -1163,7 +1165,8 @@ func (c *webClient) error(err error) error {
 	switch e := err.(type) {
 	case userError:
 		return c.write(clientMessage{
-			Type:  "error",
+			Type:  "usermessage",
+			Kind:  "error",
 			Value: string(e),
 		})
 	default: